IoT is a stay-ahead technology that is providing an effective paradigm shift in multiple industries, including the oil and gas sector. With the help of real-time monitoring and advanced analytics features, this disruptive technology is allowing the O&G companies to effectively monitor their assets ranging from pipeline networks to machines and pumping equipment.
Currently, technology investment in the gas sector completely depends on mobility, asset management, cloud adoption, and analytics. It is further targeted to reduced infrastructure costs which are greatly justified with the usage of IoT. The Internet of Things is more focused on generating data efficiencies and more informed decision-making.
Along with improving operational and asset efficiency, IoT holds a great potential to increase output in some cases. For instance, Intel has claimed that IoT-powered infrastructure and data analytics procedures used in gas wells can provide improved results by 30%. Also, McKinsey estimated that offshore platforms are performing at 77% of maximum production levels.
Hence, if applied accurately, IoT and advanced analytics tools allow the gas companies to increase their potential in collecting massive data and gain valuable insights for the future. Moreover, it can generate a greater ROI of up to 30 to 50 times the actual investment in a very short deployment period.
The Need for An IoT-powered Gas Monitoring Solution
A large variety of applications and processes in the gas industry use highly dangerous flammable and toxic gases. The inevitable occasional escape of such gases creates a hazardous environment for each worker and even the nearby residents. This results in devastating incidents involving asphyxiation, unwanted explosions, and life losses.
In most industries, one of the safety plans to avoid such situations is to implement a gas monitoring solution as an early warning system where it is easier and safer to pre-detect the toxicity in the atmosphere.
It Serves Multiple Areas
Apart from huge oil and gas refineries and plants, a gas monitoring solution can also be used in commercial areas like parking lots, laboratories, sewage treatment, hospitals, and swimming pools. Such areas are prone to high-risk due to the vigorous machineries and plant operations. A slight gas leak could lead to major havoc and cost human lives when not taken the necessary action. Let’s find out how this system works.
Workability
- Real-time Monitoring
- End-to-end Solution
- Control Visualization
- Immediate Alerts
These are the key factors on which a gas monitoring solution relies. The sensors installed on the assets allow you to sense the presence of gas concentrations in the atmosphere at all times and from any location. This is a completely tailored solution that is enabled with all the necessary hardware and software capabilities to simplify your purchases. Moreover, it is equipped with advanced analytics to optimize and keep control of industrial operations. Along with full control, this solution enables remote monitoring to help identify the presence of toxic gases in remotely located infrastructures. After detecting the presence of gases, it immediately alarms the authorities to stay prepared with necessary measures.
A gas monitoring solution comprises of the latest sensor devices that automatically fetch data from the assets and allow the authorities to predict necessary results for improved facility maintenance. A centralized dashboard is a versatile management desk for the managers to not only supervise environmental conditions but also perform administrative and managerial tasks for the plant facility.
Here are some of the benefits that you can avail by using a gas monitoring solution at your premises.
Benefits of Implementing IoT in the Gas Industry
Remote Monitoring
How convenient is it to be able to monitor the industrial facility from anywhere and at any time? This is what IoT provides to the industries. It allows effective remote monitoring of the industrial equipment or assets through sensor devices. In remotely located oil and gas infrastructure, toxic gases are produced in a high ratio. The managers use remote monitoring to find out the presence of these gases in those infrastructures and fetch real-time data to take immediate actions in case there are hints of any mishap occurring. Though it is riskier for the plant authorities to manually go and supervise the infrastructure, they use remote monitoring through IoT as a significant alternative to avoid the chances of gas explosions. This, in turn, also saves a huge amount of money spent in constructing the entire framework for oil and gas production.
Predictive/Preventive Maintenance
Many O&G companies require real-time monitoring of the machinery to keep a regular check on their condition and performance. Also, detecting harmful and toxic gases within the industrial facility is of major concern to avoid disasters. This is significantly possible with the help of an IoT-powered gas monitoring solution that offers remote services to the authorities. This allows the facilities to react immediately via predictive maintenance. The solution utilizes advanced capabilities of the sensors which are installed on the industrial equipment to identify the presence of harmful gases. With the help of sensors, a quick alert is generated that helps the workers and any other authorities evacuate the premises in case of any disaster. Also, these sensors send valuable data on a cloud-based platform for the authorities to predict future scenarios and avoid chaotic situations. Using predictive maintenance, the managers can analyze different scenarios and bring forth necessary outcomes to work upon.
Asset Management
An IoT-powered gas monitoring solution leverages the use of analytics and wireless connectivity to offer an improved and consolidated asset management process. It is an end-to-end solution that provides remote monitoring of the industrial assets to avoid explosive disasters within the facilities. Apart from smart asset management it also provides useful insights to keep the equipment up-to-date. Moreover, a gas monitoring solution helps the plant authorities to operate the assets with the help of predictive maintenance, making the automated workflows more intelligent. It helps provide real-time visibility of the assets and their performance history for better analysis of their working conditions.
Implementing an IoT-powered solution to detect harmful gases is the most productive asset to your industry. Hence, IoT is giving us major goals to implement technology for our safety purposes. Its smart techniques and innovative concepts not only help you live in safer surroundings but also provide automation to resolve task complexities. Who would have known that it’ll be possible to measure accurate gas concentrations in the air even in huge refineries where the risk rate is 99.99%? But IoT is significantly making it possible and enabling smart plant management with reduced life risk.
Credit: Data Science Central By: Sanjeev Verma
